Batavia Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Andrew Chapman, 42, of Batavia, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that between April 2010 and July 2010, a joint federal, state, and local investigation revealed that the defendant was responsible for obtaining quantities of methamphetamine from a supplier in LeRoy and then distributing the methamphetamine with others on numerous occasions.

The defendant received the methamphetamine from Donald G. Vanelli, II, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in January 2011. Vanelli was sentenced to 204 months in prison. Donna Boon and David H. Cohen have been indicted for their roles in the conspiracy and are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota; the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gary T. Maha; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Wilbert L. Plummer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division; the New York State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Joseph D’Amico, the city of Batavia Police Department, under the direction of Chief Randy Baker; and the Village of LeRoy Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher K. Hayward.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. before Judge Siragusa.

Genesee County Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine Trafficking Case

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Donald G. Vanelli II, 48, of LeRoy, New York, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, was sentenced to 210 months in prison and fined $1,000 U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who handled the case, stated that the defendant, who was a member of the Road Agents Motorcycle Club in Edgerton, New York, obtained between five and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine from drug suppliers. He then distributed those drugs to numerous others in the Genesee County and Monroe County areas between 2004 and July, 2010. Also during that time, Vanelli had firearms, including a loaded 9mm rifle, at his residence and other locations. As part of his sentence, Judge Siragusa ordered the defendant to forfeit to the government the 9mm rifle, a 9mm magazine, and 78 rounds of 9mm ammunition that were seized from his LeRoy residence at the time of his arrest.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Kollmar; the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Gary T. Maha; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Dale M. Kasprzyk; the New York State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Joseph D’Amico; the City of Batavia Police Department, under the direction of Chief Randy Baker; and the Village of LeRoy Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher K. Hayward.